BOILING STABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OF POROUS SURFACE

This study numerically investigates the stability characteristics of m ethanal boiling on a smooth or a porous-layer coated heated surface. ' 'Equilibrium heat flux'' describes the relative stability between nucl eate and film boiling modes over a nonuniformly heated surface with or without a porous layer. In addition, the equal-area criterion is exte nded from a surface covered entirely by the same boiling curve to a su rface having two different boiling curves. Nucleate boiling mode is re latively more stable than that on a smooth surface. Moreover, coating a porous layer an boiling surface not only enhances nucleate boiling, but also introduces a safer operation.